What’s This About?

A “mountain” is an extended trial, one that lasts quite a while and won’t go away easily.  It may also be referred to as a wilderness, a prison, a pit, or — according to Debbie — an oven.

The trials and tribulations of life usually inspire us to use our faith more.  But when we pray for God to move the mountain — to remove the trials and tribulations — if it doesn’t happen, it can cause us to doubt.  This can lead to some questions like this:

     Where is God?

     Why is God allowing this to happen to me?

     Did God cause this?

     Does God have a reason for this?

     Why does my life have to be so hard?

James 1:2-4 — Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters,[a] whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

FOUR THINGS TO REMEMBER ABOUT THE MOUNTAIN:

#1 — Do not get LIFE and GOD mixed up.  We tend to bring God into our trials, but He is not the source of our trouble.  God can turn our bad into good, but that doesn’t mean that He caused the bad.  God doesn’t necessarily cause everything that happens in our life.

#2 — Do not sit around and wait on your mountain to move before you start living.  Get up and be fruitful in the face of your mountain.  Face your mountain, don’t run from it.  

#3 — Know that God will use your mountain to change you.  He will use the situation to mature you, to shape and form you.  God cares more about what’s going on IN you that He does about what’s going on AROUND you.

TD Jakes:  “God isn’t trying to change your mountain.  He is using your mountain to change you.”

#4 — Stay to the finish.  Don’t quit!  You quit when you give up on God or take the easy way out.  

God loves you, and He cares about your life.  He created you with a purpose and a destiny, and His aim is to prepare you for that calling.